BCDA, S. Korean agency in Clark development tie-up

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has entered a partnership agreement with South Korea’s National Agency for Administrative City Construction (NAACC) to develop New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Under the partnership, BCDA and NAACC will collaborate in urban planning, smart city development, green energy, and smart administrative systems for the 9,450-hectare project.

“We at BCDA are very fortunate to have NAACC as our partner to facilitate knowledge exchange and link us with experts who can help us transform New Clark City as the Philippines’ alternative National Government hub,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang said in a statement sent over the weekend. 

“Through this memorandum of understanding, we wish to replicate the successes and apply the lessons learned by Korea in relocating administrative agencies and national research and development (R&D) institutes to its administrative capital, Sejong City,” he added.

South Korea, through NAACC, set up satellite government administrative centers outside the capital to help ease congestion and overpopulation in metropolitan areas, which the BCDA hopes to emulate in New Clark City. 

“We hope that Korea’s experience in building the Administrative City will be helpful in transforming your former military base into a dynamic and vibrant new city,” NAACC Administrator Hyeong Ryeol Kim said.

Sejong is home to 40 central administrative agencies and 15 national research and development institutes.

The BCDA plans to host government agencies, housing projects, and sports facilities in its National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) in New Clark City.

In particular, the BCDA has engaged the Philippine Space Agency, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the National Academy of Sports, and the Department of Science and Technology to put offices and key infrastructure in NGAC.

The signing of the agreement between BCDA and NAACC was conducted on the sidelines of the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference in Korea, in which the BCDA pitched investment opportunities in renewable energy, clean transportation, and smart city development. — Justine Irish D. Tabile